Former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton has admitted a charge of drink-driving after he was found with more than double the legal amount of alcohol in his system.

Shilton, who won a record 125 caps for England, was breathalysed after police had been tipped off that he had appeared to be under the influence of alcohol when he got behind the wheel on the evening of February 24 in Manor Road, Colchester.

The 63-year-old has been banned from driving for 20 months and was ordered to pay £1,020 in fines and costs at a brief hearing at Colchester Magistrates' Court on Tuesday morning.

The court was told that Shilton, who is currently going through a divorce, was moving the car to his new partner's address after drinking wine at a family celebration. Police had been at the woman's house when Shilton arrived.

Prosecutor Joseph Stickings said: "As police were speaking to a woman at the address, Mr Shilton pulled up behind the police car. The officer spoke to him and could smell alcohol on his breath. He was tested and provided a positive breath test."
Paul Tawn, mitigating, said Shilton would find it difficult to pay any fine due to his "complicated" finances.

He added: "He'd had a very pleasant day at a family celebration and had consumed wine with meals throughout the day. He had gone to move his car closer to his partner's address because he had an early start.

"He didn't travel far, just a couple of streets, and wasn't driving very quickly at all. He was aware he had consumed alcohol but it was throughout the day so he did not think he was over the limit - if he had, he would not have pulled up behind the police officer."

Shilton, a two-time European Cup winner with Nottingham Forest, said he felt he had had a "very fair hearing" as he left court.